BPS 231: How I Got My Shot to Write & Direct for Sony Studios with Jessica M. Thompson

Jessica Thompson is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker who made her
feature writer-directorial debut with "The Light of the Moon". The
film won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film at the SXSW
Film Festival. "The Light of the Moon", starring Stephanie Beatriz
(Brooklyn Nine-Nine, In The Heights, Encanto), enjoyed a limited
theatrical release to sold-out screens in both New York and Los
Angeles and heralds a 97% Rotten Tomatoes score. Critics called the
film "harrowingly effective" (Variety), "honest and complex" (The
Hollywood Reporter), and Film Inquiry stated, "for any filmmaker
this would be an unmitigated triumph, but for a first time
filmmaker this is revelatory."

Jess was the lead director on Showtime's original series, "The
End", produced by the Academy Award-winning See-Saw Films (The
Power of the Dog, The King's Speech). "The End" is a dramedy, told
through three generations of a dysfunctional family who are trying
to die with dignity, live with none, and make it count. The series
received five-star reviews from The Guardian and The Times.

In 2021, Jess directed her second feature, "The Invitation", a Sony
Picture's thriller-horror, written by herself and Blair Butler. It
will have a worldwide cinematic release on August 26th, 2022.

After the death of her mother and having no other known relatives,
Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) takes a DNA test…and discovers a long-lost
cousin she never knew she had. Invited by her newfound family to a
lavish wedding in the English countryside, she’s at first seduced
by the sexy aristocrat host but is soon thrust into a nightmare of
survival as she uncovers twisted secrets in her family’s history
and the unsettling intentions behind their sinful generosity.

In 2010, Jess founded Stedfast Productions, a collective of visual
storytellers who use film to explore the complexity of the human
story.

Jess is an Australian filmmaker who resides in Los Angeles. She is
repped by CAA, Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment, and Independent Talent
Group (UK).

Enjoy my conversation with Jessica M. Thompson.

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